RE: First Ex. Game Thoughts

[OzerskyJA <OzerskyJA@cmog.org>]

Boy, I hope Pitino really busts them up in practice today. Get those
IV bags out.  These guys need a real military style camp.  Chris Carr
needs a special coach assigned to teach him defense.  Maybe I could
do it.  These guys better not roll over against the Spurs tonight-- oh,
that's right, they play tonight.  I hope tomorrow's practice is a killer.


Josh Ozersky	
Marketing Communications Specialist 
Corning Museum of Glass

> -----Original Message-----
> From:	David A Wickerham [SMTP:aw623@freenet.buffalo.edu]
> Sent:	Thursday, October 12, 2000 11:05 AM
> To:	Jim Meninno
> Cc:	Celtics@igtc.com
> Subject:	Re: First Ex. Game Thoughts
> 
> 
> I agree that it i s too early to make judgements on this team, but I, too,
> was disapointed.The only guys who seemed to be hustling were Kenny
> Anderson V and Mike Jordan.  I'm not as high on Blount as everyone else
> seems to be. On the basis of this game, I would have to conclude that he
> has worse hands than V.  Also he didn't impress me with his rebounding (I
> only was able to hang on for 3 quarters)
> 
> ****dave
> 
> 
> On Thu, 12 Oct 2000, Jim Meninno wrote:
> 
> > ----- Original Message ----- From: bird <birdw@aloha.net>
> > 
> > > Joe wrote:
> > > >This game reminds me of the 1997-98 preseason
> > > >and early season, when we couldn't do anything right in the new
> system
> > > >and with limited personnel.
> > >
> > > Exactly.  I'm thinking this season will look a lot like Pitino's
> > > first year, too, although I hope we get a better record near the end
> > > of the season, maybe even pushing us into the playoffs (heaven
> > > forfend).
> > 
> > I think you guys are right to compare this performance to that of the
> team
> > in Pitino's first year.  That seems to be exactly what Pitino is going
> for;
> > To re-create the feeling of that team with this one, which is far more
> > talented.  I think it's going to be a harder motivational job than it
> was
> > that first year.  That year everything was new.  New players were being
> > brought in to play this new system, and everybody was enthusiastic.  The
> > team is more settled now, with guys who have been here for a couple
> years,
> > mostly.  That will be a plus, in a lot of ways, but I think it could
> make it
> > difficult to get back that same crazy, intense attitude.  And, even if
> they
> > do get that back, it's hard to say how successful it will be.  Joe's
> comment
> > prompted me to look back at that year.  The Celtics lost 7 of 8
> pre-season
> > games, and 5 of their first 6 regular season games.  They somehow
> managed to
> > win 15 of their next 24, to stand at 16 and 14 on January 3rd.  On the
> one
> > hand, it is amazing to think that team could put together a stretch like
> > that.  It was Walker and a cast of rookies and scrubs.  That was it.  On
> the
> > other hand, you sort of get the feeling that this team would have to
> > similarly over-achieve to better their record.
> > 
> > With regards to last night's game, it was a mess.  I forgot just how bad
> > this team can look when they're playing poorly.  I'm glad we're not
> getting
> > flooded with a ton of comments about how bad this guy, or that guy
> looked,
> > because you just can't evaluate an individual player's performance in a
> game
> > like that.  They all sucked.   One thing I noticed was that Walker
> seemed to
> > be looking for Vitaly early in both halves, and V wasn't hitting shots
> he
> > normally would.  Other than that, it was pure chaos.  I'll agree that
> Blount
> > showed enough to convince me that he's an upgrade over the 12th man,
> third
> > string centers they've been carrying.  I'm not sure what else you could
> > learn from that game.
> > 
> > Jim
> > 
> > 
> 
> -----------------------------------------------------------------
> 	  Dave Wickerham
> 	  aw623@freenet.buffalo.edu
> 	  Saratoga Springs, NY